The Calling
by LoulouFe07
Summary: champions are being gathered...Why? and how will they be stop....Read and review ...new chapter uploaded. ^_^
1. moving on

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy. I did not Create BTVS or ANGEL. I am a student and a vary broke one. So please don't assume otherwise.  
  
AN: This story is happening during Season 6 of BTVS and Season 3 of ANGEL.  
  
BTVS Right before " As you were" and in ANGEL after 3.11. I don't remember the name. I might follow some of the story line of the TV shows but I am not sure I don't know yet where this story is going so bear with me. It's my first Buffy Fanfic and I can't wait to be reviewed. Please feel free to be as honest as possible.  
  
Well Enjoy the reading:  
  
  
  
  
  
Sunnydale, CA 2002  
  
Buffy picked her clothes from the dirt floor of the crypt and put them on slowly. She winced because of the pain that ran through her body. The rustle of sheet behind her made her look at the bed. The naked form of a young man with platinum blonde hair was exposed.  
  
His handsome when he is asleep, he looks innocent she thought. She felt tears swelling up around the corner of her eyes. She shut her eyes letting the tears fall down her cheek. She stifled a cry. She did not want for him to know. She put on her jacket and left the crypt her lover called home.  
  
The sun would rise soon. She had not done much tonight. Other than falling into the arms of the fiend she was supposed to kill. In every generation a slayer is born. One chosen to battle the things that goes bump in the night. And instead of battling them Buffy Summers was sleeping with one. Her patrols lately always ended in a trip to Spikes lair. Her blond vampire, her lover. IT was not love between them, she knew that for certain, but after the events in her life she felt comfort in his arms. With him, when they were sleeping together nothing mattered. Not Death, not being a responsible adult, she was just Buffy in the arms of her vampire lover.  
  
She stood in front of the porch of the yellow house she called home. She reached to touch the handle than stop. How long as it been since she climbed her window to go back to her room? Mom was still alive at the time, Dawn didn't exist than she thought. It took her longer than usual to climb to her room but she felt a little exited after doing so. It had been a while; it had made her feel young and innocent again. " AS if!" she whispered to herself. She shed her clothes and went to the bathroom. She looked terrible and felt like that too. Her new haircut made her look like a porcupine at the moment with the end curl on the outside. Her swollen lips were reminders of the night of rough sex with Spike. Suddenly she felt dirty. She got in the shower and turned the hot water. It burned her skin but she felt as if she was in need of punishment for what she had done with the vampire, what she had let him do to her.  
  
She was using him. She was using the man. No. Spike was not a man. He was a demon and as much as the thought of them together was revolting she knew she could not give him up. She felt alive in his arms.  
  
Buffy let out a whimper. She pressed her back on the wall of the shower and let herself slide to the tub's floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked herself. She needed the release of being able to cry but nothing came. So she stayed on the floor letting the water flow over her body. Hoping that it would not only wash her skin but also her soul.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Los Angeles, CA 2002.  
  
Angel sat in his room, watching his son Connor sleep. If his heart were beating, it would have been bleeding by now. Of course he was a vampire so he was spared of the beating heart thing but that did not mean he could not feel the hurt.  
  
He had gone out with the people he considered family tonight, his coworkers at Angel Investigation. They had gone seen a Ballet, Gisele. Cordelia and him had kissed. Of course they were reliving the experiences of the Prima Ballerina and her lover's of event that had long come to pass. But at the same time there was something about how good it had felt. How right it was.  
  
When they had gotten back to the Hyperion, the hotel he called home and HQ of Angel Investigations, he had been ready to pour his heart to her. How they had grown and mature together, how it felt right to be together, how he was falling for the woman she had become. She was so different form that self-centered shallow girl he had met a few years ago in Sunnydale. She had become and outstanding young woman, that had stood up for him and that he would do anything to make her happy. But she had not heard him. She had run to the arms of another.  
  
I should not be sad he thought. It's not like he had anything to offer her. They made a good team. She would be a good mother to Connor. I love her, and she loves me too…as a friend. He grunted. He looked at the infant asleep in his crib once more and than headed to bed. He had enough to torture himself with the memory of all the atrocity he had committed when he was Angelus, the one with the angelic face. With the restoration of his soul by a Gypsy curse, he was trying to make amends but he did not need to put lovesickness in the whole lot that was his misery.  
  
He lied on the bed. He would not be able to sleep. His heart was too heavy for that. As soon as his head hit the pillow, slumber over took him.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
In the Middle on nowhere  
  
The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes, was a face of a man she thought her heart had long forgotten. She stretched a little and felt warm skin touching hers. She looked down. She was wearing his shirt. He wasn't wearing any. She looked at his face. It was still as handsome as she remembered it. She heard a small giggle. She sat up. In the middle of the two of them was a little baby. The infant was playing with his toes. He looked at her and smiled. Without hesitating she picked him up in her arms and ran her fingers on his chubby cheek. The baby stared back at her with his brown eyes. They looked so familiar to her. He grabbed her finger between his and babbled something.  
  
The young man next to her began to stir. He opened his eyes taking in the scene. He held his breath. He could not believe his eyes. He sat on the bed. The young woman turned and looked at him. She was smiling. Her green eyes were shining and her blonde hair looked like a golden hallow around her a face. He had forgotten how beautiful she looked. She went back to the baby and kissed him. He could not remember how many times he had wanted this with her. He had to say something to her. Now that she was there next to him. Maybe he could tell her things he wished he had been able to tell her before she died and things he could not say when she came back.  
  
" Buffy" He whispered  
  
" Angel, who is this baby? Is it ours?" She asked, looking at him. He felt his mouth go dry. How could he tell her the truth about Connor? She looked so happy to be holding his son. Than it hit him. It was not real. He had gone to sleep.  
  
Buffy looked at Angel. He was lost in thought. She had missed him. She still missed him even if she did not want to admit to it. The child squirmed in her arms, reaching out for Angel. He took the baby and smiled. She had never seen him smile like this. He rarely smiled when they were in Sunnydale together. He was Mr. Tall and Broody. She noticed her favorite stuff animal on the white sheet of their bed. Mr. Gordo. She picked it up and handed it to Angel. He thanked her and showed it to the Baby. She remembered that she had asked him a question about the infant. She was still waiting for the answer.  
  
Suddenly the room began to shake. Buffy 's first instinct was to get off the bed. But when she looked at the floor she noticed that there was none. They were trapped on the bed and were surrounded by flames. They heard screams and moans as if people were being tortured. Hisses were coming from everywhere. Angel reached out and took Buffy into his arms as if by doing that he could protect from the noise.  
  
"Together you are strong, divided you will die." Said a voice.  
  
" He was sent to protect you, you were never meant to fall in love." Another voice flared  
  
" Slayer!" hissed another.  
  
"What future can you offer her, vampire!"?  
  
" The time has come. The gathering will be soon." Cried a voice in agony. Buffy closed her eyes. She wanted to scream. Where was she? What was going on? She snuggled closer to Angel and the infant. She could not be afraid, she had to be strong for the baby and Angel. She was the Slayer. She looked around trying to peer in the fire to see who was talking. The things the voices had said, they had heard them before.  
  
AS she looked in the fire she thought she saw something move in there. Than a faint light seem to shimmer in front of their bed. The outline of woman started to appear. Her curly hair was flying as if swayed by a light breeze. As the details of her face became clearer, the slayer cried out: " Mom?"  
  
" Buffy, Angel …Beware …Danger is coming…. Beware…they are gathering. I can't stay longer …I will try to help…Beware…  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Sunnydale, CA, 2002  
  
  
  
" MOM!" Cried out Buffy. She opened her eyes. She was on her bed. In her room at the house and her mother was dead. It all had been a dream. But it at felt so real to her. She had seen her mother and then there had been Angel. Was it a prophetic dream? Her dream sometimes foretold what would happen. She reached a hand for the phone. She needed to talk to Giles. She dialed the number of his loft than remembered that he was not in Sunnydale anymore. He was back in London, he wanted her to learn to be a grownup and be responsible.  
  
" I can't do this alone, " she said 


	2. Home again

Disclaimer: I do not own BTVS or ANGEL.  Joss Whedon does.  I am just expanding on his characters.  So don't assume otherwise.  I have no money

A/N: Hi Everyone.  I hope that some of you enjoyed my first attempt at writing ANGEL and BVTS.  Well here is the long awaited second part.  I could not seem to concentrate enough to finish it.  Anyway I hope I did not make you wait too long and that you are still interested. This storyline is right after the "Double meat Palace" for BTVS and "Waiting in the Wings" for ANGEL.

Some of you have asked me if this is an A/C or A/ B story.  Well I will say read on.  Make your own conclusion. 

A/N2: I like reviews. They are nice incentives so please don't be shy. Tell me what you think if you hate it or love it.  

_            Sunnydale CA, 2002_

Buffy sat in the break room of the Doublemeat Palace, waiting for Tara to arrive.  She seemed so concentrated in twisting a piece of napkin between her fingers that she did not notice that her company had arrived.

 " B-b-Buffy... "Whispered Tara as she approached the blond girl.  She pulled a chair nest to Buffy's and sat down.  She hoped that everything was all right.  She had been surprised this morning by Buffy's call.  She had been crying on the phone and was saying that she could not "do this alone."

  " Buffy " probed the fair-haired girl.  Buffy looked up and their eyes met.  She could see the compassion in her friends blue eyes. She tried to say something but nothing came out.  Tara gave her a smile of encouragement but she did not say or do anything more.  Whatever was troubling Buffy must be hard to talk about she thought.

            " Last night..." Buffy started, " I dreamed of my mother. I have not done that in a while... and I dreamed of Angel." Buffy lowered her head concentrating on her hands.

            " So you saw your mother and Angel" stated the blond sitting across from her. Buffy's head shot up exposing her green eyes filled with tears.

            " It wasn't just seeing them," she started," It was how real it felt.  I felt her there with me... " 

            "Did you feel like it might mean something more than just a dream?" Ask Tara reaching out for Buffy's hand. " If it's okay with you ...tell me about it?"

            Buffy shivered at the thought of the dream.  It wasn't the dream itself but the memories it brought back.  The dream brought back feelings she had not felt for a while.  Ever since...ever since Willow and the rest of the gang had brought her back from the dead.

            She started talking, letting the emotions wash over her.  She was grateful for Tara.  She was so nice and easy to talk to.  The girl had been her support for the past few weeks.  She had told her the truth about her relationship with Spike and had even asked her to make sure that there was nothing wrong with her.  And she had been supportive and she had not judge; she had just forgiven and given her a shoulder to cry on.  And there, Tara was again being there for her with this dream.

            " I was on a bed...with a baby ...an Angel... than there was fire... than my mother appeared ...she said beware of something...than I woke..."

~ 8~8~8~

_Los Angeles CA, 2002_

" ...woke up. It felt so weird Wesley." Angel was standing in his friend's office.  The whole Fang Gang was there with some new additions.  Lorne was holding Connor. Groo, Cordelia 's beau, was sitting in a chair next to her.  Gunn was leaning on the doorframe watching Fred sitting on the floor a few meters from where Wesley was perch on his desk. Angel himself was behind the desk.  He looked weary and looked whiter than usual.

            " The part you dreamed of Buffy or the part you dreamed of her mother? " asked Gunn with a smirk. " The vampire with a soul glared at him.

            " Just trying to lighten up the atmosphere" Said Gunn feeling uneasy.

            " Well we know for sure that there is nothing weird about Angel dreaming about Buffy.  I mean she is the love of your life and all ...and you guys have all these issues about one another ... " answered Cordelia.  But she did not get the chance to finish because Wesley stepped in.

            " You mention that Joyce gave you a warning about something"

            " Yes she talked about gatherers..." Wesley got up from his perch and walked towards one of the stack of books spread out in the office.  He mumbled to himself a few words and grabbed one of the books. He opened it and started to look for something.  Typical Wesley thought Angel, watcher till the end.  Give him a problem and he looks at his books.   Wesley mumbled something to Fred who got up and headed to another pile.

            " The gatherers you said?" Asked Wesley again. Angel nodded yes.  "Cordelia will you please check the pagan and demon website for that please.  I have the impression i have heard of this before but I do not remember where and when."

            " What if it was just a dream? Asked Gunn, still standing by the door. 

            " Than there will be no harm in us looking," answered Wesley. " Gunn would you please try to see what you can find out on the street about gatherers"

            " I'll go with him" said Angel getting up.

            " No, you are not, you will head upstairs to your room and get some rest, Lorne will take care of Connor down here" added Wesley as he showed Angel out of his office and shut the door behind him.  

            Angel stood in the Lobby for a while, debating if he should go back in there and tell them that they could not tell Wesley that he could not send him to his room as if he was a child. But they were right he did feel worn out.  So he went up to his room.  

            He paced in there for a while and than looked at the phone.  Did Buffy have the same dream than me? He wondered. It did feel weird to dream about her.  He had been thinking about his feelings for Cordelia and than he dreamt about the slayer and his son together.   It felt weird because it had been a while since he had dreamed of her.  When she had died he had thought about her all the time.  Than she came back and than there was Darla, Connor and Holtz. Buffy had become a distant memory that his unbeating heart kept safe.  There was also the matter of his feeling for Cordelia.  Buffy wasn't something he had wanted to think about.  He wanted to move on.  And he was doing okay till this morning.  Till he had seen her holding his son, and his had felt so much love for her in that dream.   

~8~8~8~

            " I am home," yelled Buffy as she open the door way of her house at Revello drive.  She walked towards the kitchen, following the whispering of voices.  Her sister and her best friend were cooking.  

            " Oh! You guys are making food.  I brought you some Double meat Cheeseburgers and a movie. " 

            "Cool about the movie, But yuck for the burger" Said Dawn Wrinkling her nose.  " No offense Buffy but how much burger can a girl eat." 

            " Did someone say Burger" said a young man entering in kitchen door.  "Hey Buff, How was work?" 

            " Hey Xander, the usual " Buffy replied putting her bags on the counter.  She looked at her friends gathered in the kitchen. Xander was not paying attention to her he was busy talking to his sister. They had really change since High school but they had kept together.  She used to find strength and comfort with them.  Now she found it with…

            " Spike, just the one I want to see! Exclaimed Dawn as she went to the platinum blond guy and gave him a hug.  He gently patted her head.  Dawn started to talk to him and drag him into the living room.  He gave Buffy a sly smile before disappearing after her sister. 

            " IS something bothering you? Asked Willow giving her a concern look. 

" What makes you think that?" answered Buffy as she opened the fridge.

" Well you have been standing lost in space for a while, You still have your jacket on and that Xander and I asked you a question about five minutes ago and you have not answered."

            "Sorry I didn't hear it.  I am tired, I am going to take a shower and I 'l be back." Not waiting for an answer Buffy went up to the second floor.  She entered her room and closed the door behind her.  She sunk in her bed and grabbed mister Gordo. " You were in my dream she whispered to herself." She had told Tara about the whole thing and Tara had told her that she was going to see what the dream meant and that she thought that the Scooby gang should research on the Gatherers.  I will tell them later she thought as she stretched in her bed.  She closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	3. dream world

_Dream world_

            Buffy woke up with a start.  She had not meant to fall asleep.  The others would be wondering where she was and must be waiting for her for dinner. She twisted on her bed and felt someone stir next to her. Had Spike come lay next to her while she was sleeping? That thought irritated her. She sat up ready to tell him how she felt but she stop as soon as she saw who was next to her on the bed. 

            "Angel…" she whispered. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, like an angel. A very dark one but one she had love as soon as she had seen him.  

Buffy: "I want my life to be with you."  
Angel: "I don't."  
  


            He had told her that the night before her prom.  She had been so exited about being normal for one night with her boyfriend and he had broken up with her.  He had showed up at the prom and danced with her but it had not change the fact that after her graduation her had left without even saying goodbye. She had tried to forget him but he was still in her heart.   

            She lifted her hand to touch his bare chest.  He moved and made a slight moan as her skin touch his but he did not open his eyes. He was so cool under her warm skin.  Just like Spike She thought but not exactly.  Angel's skin even though cold could warm her skin; Spike's never did that.  She got closer to him and let her face hover over is.  She wondered if he was purposely keeping his eyes close.  She gently brushed her lips with his.  He responded by embracing her and pressing her body against his.  Angel parted his lips and she deepened the kiss.   She heard him hold his breath.  She smiled enjoying the feel of his cool lips on hers, the taste of him in her mouth.  She liked the feel of his hands on her back, her neck and her hair.  He pulled he face away from him.  Angel was staring at her.  She read wonder and passion in his chocolate eyes, and she also saw love.  

            "Buffy" he gasped.  At the sound of his voice she shivered.   He sat down on the bed forcing her to sit and move away from him.  

            " What is going on? Where are we?" She looked at him puzzled.  She had not even look at her surroundings. She had been too caught up in having him next to her that she had no noticed anything else.  

            They were in a white room with white furniture, a desk, a dresser and a closet.  The bed sheets where immaculate too.  Angel got off the bed and stood on the white-carpeted floor.   Buffy looked at him and notice that he was wearing white pajama bottoms.   She was wearing the top.  She looked around again, looking for and exit as Angel opened one of the drawers of the dresser.  

            She got off the bed.  The carpet fell good under her feet. She walked towards Angel.   They both jumped when they heard knocking.  They had not notice a door.  But as if by magic a door appeared.  Both slayer and vampire got into fighting positions as the door opened.

            " Mom whispered the slayer in disbelief. 

            An ethereal form of Joyce Summers floated toward the couple. 

" Buffy, Angel" acknowledged the ghost as she came and stood in front of the couple.   Buffy would have fallen if Angel hadn't grabbed her.  She was more leaning on him than standing at the moment.  She was shivering,. Her mother was in front of her as a ghost.  She was not sure is she could handle that.

 Her mother must have understood that because she started to become more solid.  

            Joyce reached a hand and touched her daughter's cheek, wiping of a tear.  Buffy gasped when she felt her mother's warm hand on her face.  She left Angel's arms for her mothers and buried her face in her shirt.  

" Oh honey, I am so sorry," murmured Joyce in her daughter's hair.  " this is not how I wanted you to see me"

 " I miss you so much." 

" Honey, you have to listen to me." She handed a sobbing Buffy to Angel who took her.  " Both of you have to listen.  I don't have much time.  Something is coming. "

  " We need your help" started Joyce, " the Calling is at hand. The gatherers will soon join. "

 " Mom, what are you talking about?" 

" I wish I can say more, but if you don't help…

"…It will be the end of the world.  I have heard that before mom, I am the Slayer," said Buffy wiping of her tears.  Her mom gave a weak smile and continued.

" Something along these lines… You have to fight this…we can't fight it.  NO alone anyway."

" Who is we?" asked Angel speaking for the first time. 

" Us" answered a million voices. They all had come from Joyce.  

" They know, " Whispered a voice.  

" They are coming," cried another in panic.  

" I have to go, said Joyce, starting to fade, you have to trust one another, and you have to be strong to fight this. "

" Mom!!! Screamed the Slayer but her mother started to disappear.   The walls of the room shimmered and flames surrounded them.  Angel clutched Buffy tight. They heard wails and agonizing screams.  

" Wake up! Whispered Joyce before fading away, Wake up before they find you here"

            As she said those words, a woman with dark hair walked thru the flames.  She wore a dress that seemed made of fire itself.  Her lips were painted black and she had long black nails.   She looked at them startle.  Her eyes were like two marbles of onyx.   She let out a high screech. 

 " Buffy, whispered Angel, you have to wake up" Buffy looked at him. But Angel was looking at the screeching woman.  The screech was giving her a headache.   She felt Angel step in front of her.  He was protecting her.  

            The dark haired woman, walked towards them, her face distorted in an angered grimace. She pointed her nails towards Angel and twisted her hand.  Angel groaned in pain. 

" You don't belong here in my world she slithered.  You will pay for your intrusion. 

 "Angel! Screamed Buffy.  She put her hands on his back and tried to go in front of him.  But he kept shielding her.  The woman twisted her hand again Angel started to slump to the ground.   She let out a small chucked as she advanced closer to the couple.  Power seemed to be gathering around her.  As she got ready to strike Buffy held Angel and closed her eyes, bracing for the impact. 

            " Buffy wake up! She heard her mother scream.

~8~8~8~

Sunnydale, CA 2002

            " Hey wake up sleepy head," said Dawn as she shook her sister.  Buffy opened her eyes.  

"Angel!" Buffy screamed, bolting off her bed.  She was back in her room.  She was not dreaming.   Ignoring her sister, she ran down the stairs and picked up the phone in the vestibule.  Her hand trembled as she dialed.

 " Please pick up," she asked nervously.  " Pick up Angel! " she screamed on the phone as if he would hear her." 

" Angel Investigation, we help the helpless," answered a females voice.

" Cordelia, get Angel on the phone now" ordered Buffy in a panicked voice.

" What happened to how are you? I am not your servant …" started the brunette on the other line.

" Listen, I have no time for this Cordelia, get Angel on the phone." 

" I am on it," answered Cordelia getting the emergency of the situation, as she perceived Buffy's panic.

            Buffy put her back to the wall and let her-self slip on the floor.  The knuckles of the hand holding the phone were turning white.  She looked up and saw that her friends were all gathered in the vestibule.  They were all looking at her concerned.  Willow kneeled in front of her and said nothing just waiting.  They know that she would not say anything till she had spoken to Angel.  So they stood there watching her going paler as the seconds flew while she was waiting for his voice.

            " Please be alright, " she whispered.

To be continued


	4. Missing one

Disclaimer: Hey guys you know I did not own them so why bother think I do.

AN: I Know that I have kept most of you waiting for like ages for the chapters that are coming.  I hope that I will be able to deliver more often and that in the process I will have made some of you happy. 

AN2: I really enjoy reading your reviews and I hope that I will get more…

Sunnydale, California 2002

            " Buffy," came a voice on the other line.  Her heart sank.  It was not his.  Where is he her mind reeled?  He should have picked up the phone.  He should have been the one saying her name. 

            " Buffy, are you there?" repeated Cordelia.  She could hear the slayers labored breathing.  " Listen, he was not in his room, but if you want I could tell him to call you.  He must have stepped out…"

            Buffy half listened to the girls voice as she dropped the phone on the floor.  She brought her knees toward her and hugged herself. She would not cry. She would not panic.  In her dazed state, she heard Willow talking to Cordelia and than she hung up the phone. 

            They were still standing in the hallway looking at her.  Worry written on their face.  Dawn stoop at the top of the stairs.  They were all waiting fro an explanation.  Waiting to hear what had scared the slayer so much that she actually had called the vampire that had not been named in this house for months.     

            Willow approached her friend on the floor.  The blond girl was rocking herself back and forth and mumbling something to her self. 

            " Buffy… Are you okay?" she asked softly.  The girl's head shot up and their eyes met.  Willow saw confusion, fear and pain there.  Buffy than looked at everyone else there, and saw the concern looks in their eyes.  She got up and started up the stairs.

            " I have to go … I have to go to L.A. " She mumbled more to herself than to anyone, "I have to make sure he is alright " 

            " He is okay, Cordelia said he must have stepped out while they were in the office…" answered Willow as she went up the stairs behind her friend.  She did not know what was going on but she knew that anything that had to do with him always made her loose it.

            Buffy ignored her.  She was wasting time here. Who knows what happened.  She remembered the battle in the dream.  But she knew that it was not a dream.  It had felt too real and she had known that if Dawn had not awakened her she might have still been trapped there.  The rational part of herself would have told her that he had to be awake to be moving right.  And that Cordelia had said he had gone out that what good would it do for to go up there.  She knew the answer she had to make sure.  She just had to make sure that he had made it out of there and that he was not hurt?  Could they get hurt when they were in there? 

            Willow just stood there in front of the door watching her put stuff in her bag.  Buffy was pacing around in the room frantically lost in her thoughts.  

 " Enough! Cried the red head.  She walked towards her friend and sat her down.  Buffy surprised by the cry just complied. " You are not going anywhere till you tell me what in the world is going on? I don't want you to leave me n the dark in this.  Buffy whatever it is you know you can tell us?

            "I don't have time for this…I have to go…Angel …" She could not bring herself to say more.    

            " Tell me what is going on, Buffy, maybe I can help.  Angel is fine," said Willow putting her hands over the trembling ones of her friend.

            " Tell us what is going on? Asked Xander coming in her room.  He came to stand in front of her.  He grasped her arm and helped her stand.  " You know that there is nothing that you cannot tell us we are your friends, no matter what?

  At theses words she felt a little pang in her heart.  They're so much she hadn't told them.  But was this the right time to be talking about the dream s what if Angel was lying somewhere dying.  No Cordelia had said that he had stepped out.

            She followed Xander into the living room.  Dawn was leaning on spike on the sofa.  Anya was sitting in one of the chairs.  They were all lost in thought.  When they saw Xander come in with Buffy and willow and tow they looked up expectantly.

            " Well what is going on with the old pouf? Asked Spike. Finally breaking the silence.  He seemed a little unnerved.   Buffy glared at him.  

            " Listen there is something I need to tell you guys.  Last night I had this dream…

            " Oh! A prophetic dream? Asked willow.

            " No, well I am not sure but I had almost the same dream a few minutes ago, they were some differences but it felt more like I had traveled somewhere not like a dream …"

~8~8~8~

_Los Ángeles, California 2002_

            " Something really strange just happened said Cordelia entering Wesley's office. Everyone sprawled on the floor reading books looked at her." You are not going to believe who just called in a panic frenzy?

            Who? Asked Gunn taking the bait.

 " Buffy… and the nerve of her she was like ' get me angel on the phone' no 'hello' or 'was sup Cordelia' just I want Angel."

            Did she say what for? Asked Wesley suddenly interested in Cordelia's ranting.  

" No, Willow picked up the phone.  By the way Have any of you seen Angel?

            " Didn't you say the phone was for him? Didn't he talk to Buffy? Asked Gunn bewildered. "

            " I did not find him in his room.  Is he out? " 

            " Cordelia, Buffy called Angel.  Did she say it was urgent…you said she was panicked on the phone. And you did not bother finding him for her"

            " I called him and I went to his room and he was not there.  I assumed that he went out and I came here to see if any of you had seen him or talk to him."

            " Lets' find Angel.  Whatever happened must have been something serious for her to call here." Said Wesley getting up.  " Groosalugg and Gunn why don't you start scooping the city.  Fred and Cordy search the Hotel. The host will take care of Connor.  And I am going to call Sunnydale to see their situation. "

            They all left the office.  Each with a mission to find their friend wherever he might be.  

TBC

 AN: I know it is short and I know it might not be my best work so far but I 'l try harder next time        


	5. gathering

Disclaimer: they don't belong to me.  You know it …I know it.let us leave it to that.

A/N: sorry for not writing for so long.  I had lost my inspiration especially after seeing this season of my two favorite shows.  So here is a little taste of what is to come.

Enjoy and review please.

This is how it is not suppose to happen?  I thought we gave him a cell phone so we would not have to do such things?" Cordelia said for the tenth time since they had started looking for the vampire with a soul.  She felt her beloved Groosalugg put his arms around her.

            " We will find him my princess." He reassured her.  He was her knight in shining armor.  Kind of like the vampire they were looking for.  It wasn't like Angel to disappear like that on them.  I mean ever since Connor came into their lives he only left the Hotel on missions for the PTB otherwise he spend all his time with his son like a mother hen.  

            But things were not going as usual.  I mean Buffy had called. Buffy! She did not know why she kept repeating the girls name in her head.  They all had grieved when they had come back from Pylea and found out she was dead.  But than everyone had moved on. Some faster than others.  Angel had refused to talk about her except for the little  he had told her about being Okay and that he felt weird for being okay.  He thought that he would have died with her but he was still there.  She had told him that she would have wanted him to continue the fight and than there had been the pregnant Darla.  Buffy had been forgotten.  Well lets just say omitted form everyone's conversation till they had find out about her return from the dead.  He had gone and seen her but he had not said anything about that meeting.  Not that Angel was the most talkative man. But this was like the last straw.  Disappearing without a word.  She was fuming inside.  She wanted to rage and scream.  Buffy had done it again.  She had come to crash their perfect little family.  "Breath Cordelia, Breath…" She felt Groo's hand massage her neck lightly has they were walking the sewer.  She was grateful.  

            " This is fruitless he is not here, lets go back maybe the others found him already."  She said taking her lovers hand into her and heading back to the hotel. She hoped that they had found him.

            When she got to the hotel all she could do was scream.  Wesley was sprawled on the floor frozen with an expression of horror on his face.

            " Oh my God! Connor she thought as she ran upstairs.  Praying that Angel's son was okay and in the same breath that he would come back to them. 

He felt something hard on his back.  Not the fluffiness of his bed.  His eyes flew open and he sat up.  He was in a dark room.  He took in an unnecessary breath.  How did he get here? Last thing he remembered was that he had lied down  on  his bed for a quick nap. "Buffy!" he exclaimed. Looking around him.  Oh my god did she get out of there in time.  Did he live her there?  Where were they ? Where was he? So many questions were running through his head.  

                He got up slowly and brush the dust of his clothes.  He looked at his surrounding trying to find a clue that would tell him where he was.  The fireplace looked familiar he thought.  To think of it the place looked oddly familiar.  He was at …

    " The mansion was the closest place I could take you," said a voice behind him.  Angel jumped.  He had not sense somebody else in the room with him.  When he turned around he saw the ethereal form of Joyce Summers of hovering a few inches of the floor of his old home.

       " I am in Sunnydale." It was more of a question than a statement.  Joyce shook her head in acquisition. 

            " I brought you here." Was all she said 

            " How? I was in my room in LA.  I was asleep. How did  I end up here in Sunnydale ?" He looked at Joyce.  Last time he had been in the same room with her she had told him that him and Buffy had no future together and that he should have the courage to let her go. Now she was standing  there in front of him.  No, her ghost was talking to him.

            " Buffy needs your help.  You got here the same way, you got into the other plane.  Listen Angel we don't have much time.  You must stop the gatherers."

            "Who are they, Joyce? What is going on?" Asked Angel taking a step towards the ghost.

            "Angel you must go, they are nearing Buffy.  Go before it is too late you must save her." Angel did not need to be told twice.  He ran out the door of his mansion on Crawford St. sprinting towards Revello drive, feeling an urgency in the pit of his stomach.

            "Buffy isn't there a slight chance that all you told us was just a dream and nothing but a dream?" asked Xander for the seventh time.

            "Why would I make this up"

            "Oh I don't know? The part where Angel and you are holding a baby…"Started to say Xander

            "Listen Xander, I don't expect you to believe me. Bu tit felt real.  I saw my mother, I touched her and she said…" Buffy stopped talking she looked at her friends they were all looking at her as if she was crazy.  Willow came to sit next to her on the sofa and gave her a hug.  

            " Will it make you feel better if we research the "gatherers"?" she asked. Buffy nodded her head.  She was unwilling to say anything.  They were a friends why couldn't they believe her.  

            " What about Angel? Asked Dawn.  She had listened to the whole conversation. She had started to cry when Buffy had mentioned that she had seen their mother.  That she had been trying to warn them about something.  She knew that Buffy would never have been this freaked out if that dream had not been more than a dream.  

            At the mention of the souled Buffy's head snapped up and she got off the sofa.  She went to the phone and dialed the number of the Hotel.  No answer came on the other line.  

            "I am going to LA" She said to her friends.  She wasn't asking for their permission.  When they started to talk all at once she just ignored them and headed upstairs in her room.

            She could hear them talk as she was putting some items in a bag.  How could they not believe her.  Why would she make up such a story and since when they did not believe in the fact that she had prophetic dreams.  She was lost in her thought when she felt the hair behind her back stand up.  Vampire. She had not heard anyone come up the stairs.  Actually she was standing across from the door and the sensation was coming from the window.  

            She turned around and hit herself on a wall of muscle.  She felt strong arms circle around her.  

            "Angel" she whispered.  The vampire answered by taking a deep breath and squeezing tighter against him.

 "I thought something had happened to you," She said half crying half talking. She held him tighter too.  Happy that he was okay. Questions would come later.

 " I am sure Buffy's dream was a prophetic.  I get the Joyce part but Dead boy and a baby isn't that like farfetched." Said Xander after he saw his friends disappear upstairs.

"Shouldn't we stop her from going to see the poof?" asked a very disturb Spike.  He felt weird.  He could swear that for a moment he had sense the presence of another vampire.  But that feeling had disappeared.  He didn't like when stuff like that happened.  

            Everybody was so entranced in their own thought that they all jumped when they heard the doorbell.  

            " Who would be coming around this time?" Asked Xander getting up to go to the door.  Willow got up behind him and followed.

 " It might be Tara, I called her." The red head said her turning red.  When they opend the door they saw a little girl standing there.  

            Xander looked at the clock and at the little girl.  It was 1 in the morning.  First thought was to get her in the house than he thought about the whole do not inveite strangers in the house even if they look no older than five years old with the most innocent eyes on earth .

            Willow looked at the little girl.  She was wearing a white dress that had seen better days.  Her blond hair framed her heart shaped face.  

            " Hi! Said the little girl. Startling them.  She gave them a very innocent smile.  Xander and Willow looked at each other, wondering what they should do.  Than Dawn came behind them wondering what was taking them so long.  Xander just told her "Go get Buffy." Dawn did not ask why.  She had seen the little girl and she knew that little children did not show up at your doorstep in the middle of the night in Sunnydale.

            " You are the witch asked the little girl.  Willow looked at her puzzled.  She than notice that the child was holding an urn in her arms, She saw the girl put her hands on the lid. 

            Willow gave Xander a panicked look and moved away form the doorway, dragging her friend.  She felt great dread at the site of that urn.  She did not know why.  The little girls pretty little face distorted into the face of an old lady with very sharp teeth.  She mumbled something and.  Willow knew that they were too late.  She screamed and fell on the ground her eyes wide open, her lips parted as if she was still screaming but no sound came out of her lips.

            At the scream Spike and Anya came running from the living room.  All they found was Xander and Willow frozen on the floor an expression of extreme terror on their face. The front door was wide open.  Spike vampire ears heard noise on his left and he had just the time to see a little girl disappear on the top of the stairs, In the Direction of the slayer's bedroom. 


	6. gathering part 2

Disclaimer: I Hope that by now everyone knows that I do not own anything.  Even if I wanted to own I can't afford it 

AN: I hope that everyone who is reading this story will be happy with this upcoming chapter.  I am not promising to put another chapter soon.  But I would love to finish a story before the end of the year.  Well Enjoy and please Review I always enjoy reading them.

London, England 2002 

" So we are going to go the country side and lose each other in the nature" Said the African woman as she kissed the man.  He smiled under her caresses.  He liked being near her.  He had not felt this way about someone for a long time.  Not since Jenny.  He pulled her closer to him and fell back on his bad dragging her with him.  

            " We will do whatever you want, Livie," he answered nibbling on her ear.  

            "Rupert, You are such a charmer" She responded kissing him again.  He had been so happy to see her waiting for him at the airport when he had gotten back to England.  He had not expected to see her.  Especially after the way he had left last time.  He had left her in a restaurant rushing back to Sunnydale because Buffy had been back.  

            He still had doubts about leaving her there, to fend for herself but she needed to be able to make her own decisions.  The woman next to him sensing the shift in her lovers thought stopped her caresses.

            " Rupert, She will be fine."

            "I wasn't thinking about her," Said the older man as he got out of his bed.  He put on a robe and headed out of the room. He ran a hand through his auburn hair and headed for the kitchen.  A few minutes later, his companion came in after him wearing only a shirt. His.

            " You look so gorgeous like that," He said as she approached him and took the cup of tea that he is offering to her. 

            "Rupert, It's okay for you to worry about her.  You told me yourself that you saw her like a daughter.  Like any father you find it hard to let go. "

            "Olivia, you know me so well." Giles followed the young woman to the living room and sat next to her to the couch. She came next to him an snuggled against him.  He could get used to this.  He was just about to give her a kiss when he heard his doorbell ring.

            " Bloody hell! I wonder who it is at this time of the night." He said getting up reluctantly form his African princess.  She smiled at him and saw him disappear.  She stayed in the sofa.  She knew that whoever it was Rupert would send him away as fast as possible and come and join her soon.  She put her cup down on the coffee table. 

            Her head shot up when she heard a muffle sound coming from the hall where Rupert had disappeared.

            "Rupert?" she called out.  Hearing no response she marched her way to the front door.  

            "Oh my God! RUPERT! She screamed seeing her lover sprawled on the floor.  She ran towards him and took his pulse his heart was still beating but he looked as if he had been frozen by fear.  She pocked her head out of the door just in time to see the figure of a little girl disappear down the corridor. 

* * *

Boston, Massachusetts 2002 

__

            The young man was anxious to get back at home.  He was tired and his bed was beckoning to him.  For once he was happy that Boston closed almost everything early.  He could not have taken another hour at the Club.  He loved playing music but his heart was not in it.  Not today anyway.  Lately he was thinking a lot about home.  Sunnydale.  

            Can he still call it home? He thought of a beautiful red head. She had moved on.  She had Tara now, who was Wicca like her.  They had ended everything in fairly good terms last time they had seen each other.  If he did not count the fact that he had almost killed Tara.   A lot of things had changed since than.  He had embraced the wolf and had more control over the moon cycle. He was still there when the wolf was out and the wolf was there when he was human all the rest of the time.  It had taken time but his last encounter with Willow had made him see that he was the Wolf as much as he was Oz.

            "Hey Daniel, aren't we in a little early?" asked the concierge as he entered his apartment building." Oz ignored him and went straight up to his place.  He didn't feel up to pleasant banter with the young man.  He needed a really cold shower and to have a good night sleep.  

            He had meditation tomorrow with Master Zen early in the morning.  He looked at his watch.  He had meditation in like five hours.  Master Zen was the reason he had relocated from Tibet to Boston.  The old Chinese priest had learned to master the wolf in him.  It only came out when the priest needed it. He was teaching Oz a few techniques to have a better communion with his alter ego.  Master Zen lived on door down from Oz, which made life easier on him when he had early morning meditation.

            Oz entered his apartment; he ran his fingers in his spiked red hair.  He had a beard a few days old that he should shave but that would be at least twenty minutes taken away from his sleep.  He heard movement next door and knew that Master Zen was not asleep.  He could knock on his door and ask for at least a few more hours of sleep. He changed his mind and lied down on his bed. Later.  He will do everything later. He was to exhausted.  He closed his eyes. 

            Behind the screen of his eyelids he saw his Willow smiling at him.  She was telling him that she missed him and she loved him still.  Than she looked at him terrified, she started screaming but instead of a scream he heard like a doorbell sound coming out of her mouth.  He sat up crying, "Willow!"  He hadn't have dreams like that of her in a while.  He was just about to lie back down when he heard the doorbell. It must have been what woke him up.

            He walked to the door.  Wondering who could possibly be there.  He opened the door partially.  He was from Sunnydale and he knew that most things that walked around at night were not nice. He saw standing in front of him a little girl.

            "Hey!" Said Oz leaning down to talk to the girl.

            Next-door Master Zen was meditating when he felt a slight imbalance in the atmosphere around him.  He heard his apprentice call out a name and his biddy eyes snapped open a feeling of ominous dread washing over him.  He rush to his door and called out "Daniel don't!" he saw the silhouette of a little girl disappear down the stairs.  Daniel Osbourne was sprawled on the floor in front of his door. 

            Master Zen approached him, the young man looked at if he had been frozen in terror. 

* * *

Los Angeles, California 2002 

__

            Cordelia ran up the stairs of the Hyperion two by two leaving Groo standing looking after a petrified Wesley. She hoped that nothing had happened to little Connor.  She knew that Angel would be devastated if something happened to his son. She ran into Angel's room.  Lorne was seating with the child singing him to sleep.

            " Is Connor Okay?" she asked trying to catch her breath.

"Why wouldn't he? Did you find Angel?" The green skinned demon demand.

"Dunno where Angel is…still looking…Wesley is unconscious downstairs…thought something happened to Connor" She finally was able to say.

" What? Wesley is out cold down stairs? Take me to him." Lorne gestures to Cordelia to lead the way. As she gets out, she stops on her track.  A little girl, no older than five is standing in front of her barring her way.  How did she get in here? Wonders Cordelia.  The little girl was wearing a white dress and was holding something that looked like an urn.  Children did not usually carry things like that did they?  The child locked eyes with the seer and she knew that whatever was in front of her was no kid.  She pushed Lorne back into the room, trying to protect Connor.  The little creature opened the lid.  Cordelia screamed and fell on the floor, petrified.

            Lorne hearing her scream came out running, still clutching to the baby.  The little girl looked at him.  The child smiled revealing very sharp teeth and turned around.  IT had taken what it wanted all the others were not needed.  It walked down the steps as a young black man, and another guy ran past it.  The kid stopped right next to the frail frame of a young girl crouched next to its first target.  It smelled her.  No she wasn't one of them and walked out.

*    *     *

Sunnydale, California 2002 

"Buffy get out!" Screamed Spike as he ran up the stairs behind the figure of the child. 

Dawn turned around to look at a little girl walk towards her and Spike running after it like a madman.  "Dawn get in your room, it's a demon" She did not need to hear more.  The teenager opened the door to her room and went in. She saw the childlike demon walk pass her heading towards her sisters room. She hoped that Buffy had heard Spikes scream.

            "What is going on out there?" asked the slayer pulling herself away from the arms of the souled vampire.  She saw the shadow of a little girl appear in front of her door.  Than she heard her mothers voice. "Angel, get her out, it's after her." 

            Before she had the time to say anything she felt Angel's arms around her.  He picked her up and went out the window with her.  Buffy had just the time to see the angelic face of the child turn into that of a very pissed off demon.

            As soon as Angel fell on the ground he started sprinting away from the house on Revello drive.  He didn't put Buffy down.  He hugged her tighter. Afraid.  He heard her sobs and her protest but he ignored her.  There was another voice guiding him.  

            He finally came to a stop in front of Giles old apartment.  He put Buffy down.  He started looking for something.  A few minutes later he picked up a set of keys under the floor mat and opened the door.

            "How did you know they were there? Asked the Slayer talking for the first time since he had put her down.

            "Your mother told me." Angel answered.  He saw the blondes eyes widened in shock.

            "Buffy I am sorry I had to take you like this…"

            "Oh my god! Dawn! I left her in a house with a very pissed off demon"

"She will be fine," said a voice behind her.  Buffy whirls around and see the ghost of her mother hovering over her.

            "Mom" whispered Buffy.

"She is fine sweetie, the child you saw is a gatherer. They only gather the one that are chosen.  They are harmless to others."

            "How do you know that?" asked Angel speaking for the first time.

"Because I told her." Said a figure coming out of the dark.

            "Whistler." Exclaimed both Angel and Buffy, one in astonishment, the other in anger

TBC


End file.
